On Tuesday August 28th
Seminole County’s Board of Commissioners adopted a Resolution recognizing
the village of Geneva’s rural and agricultural history as an integral part
of the county, “with past, present, and future significance.” The
Resolution stated “the Board applauds the community efforts of the village
of Geneva to be recognized as a “Rural Heritage Area” with state and
national historic preservation agencies.”

Community leaders on hand for the
event were Geneva Citizens Association President Richard Creedon, GCA
Vice-President Christopher Stapleton, Geneva Historical & Genealogical
Society President Cynthia Simonton and GHGS leader Mary Jo Martin.
Commissioner Brenda Carey read the Resolution that detailed the significance
of many historic events, structures, and individuals of Geneva, the
geographic significance of the waterways that have surrounded and supported
it for generations, and the ongoing significance of preserving natural lands
and rural character.

The basis of this resolution
stemmed from research that identified thirty-nine sites dating from 500 BC
to 1763, the Archeological Cultural Resources Study “documenting eight
sites/structures eligible for the National Register and sixty additional
sites/structures also eligible for the National Register as part of an area
of historical significance.Additionally
eighty-one sites/structures have been identified as ‘locally important’
sites including the Geneva Freshwater Lens known as the Geneva Bubble.”

The
Resolution recognized that Geneva has “an ongoing and vibrant cultural
heritage” documented by the Geneva Historical and Genealogical Society and
the Geneva Museum of History and supported by many women’s, youth, church
and educational groups and organizations some have been in existence for
over a century.

The
Board reaffirmed its continued support to preserve rural character through
The Seminole County Natural Lands Program and the identification in 1991 of
the East Rural Area.A 2004
voter referendum reinforced public support of future land use and the
urban/rural boundary line with zoning designations in place today.The County officially recognized the diligent efforts of the Geneva
community which at times seemed to be the only thing standing in the way of
commercial re-zoning and urban sprawl, the nearby CR 419 eastern corridor
being a prime example.

On behalf of the Geneva Historical
Society, past President Mary Jo Martin said. “The Geneva Historical and
Genealogical Society would like to thank you for recognizing the rural
heritage that’s so important in our village and to thank you for your
support in helping us maintain the integrity of the rural area for all of
the citizens of Seminole County.” Mary Jo Martin’s husband Mal is
Geneva’s historian and narrates the Annual Historic Bus Tour in early
February that educates residents from about Geneva’s history past and
present. Mal and Mary Jo have written several books about the history of
Geneva, (http://www.usgennet.org/usa/fl/county/seminole/Geneva/)
proceeds supporting the GHGS.

GCA Vice President Chris Stapleton
who has been working on digital documentation of Geneva’s history also
thanked the BCC. “I want to thank you for recognizing to celebrate the
rural heritage-it’s rich, it’s living, and it’s ongoing. With your
support with this recognition we can go on and help make “Geneva Island”
the rich, educational asset for Seminole County, for future generations to
respect, to understand, and to celebrate the rich and diverse cultural
heritage that has gone on for over 100 years.”

Commissioner Carey added, “For
those who have not been to the Museum, you should make the trip to Geneva,
it has a wonderful Museum with lots of artifacts. I am a life member of
their Historical Society and I encourage you to become members as well. The
Geneva Museum holds a great bit of our history.”

Commissioner
Carlton Henley closed with, “This group has certainly been dedicated to
preserving and been persistent in their efforts to watch over the
neighborhoods that they have. Unfortunately, probably too much of Seminole
County has already been taken out of the rural area, but hopefully we will
continue to preserve a portion of that element for future citizens to be
able to enjoy.It will take diligence and perseverance to maintain those
things that we value.”

Stetson’s Corner

Our Rural Heritage

By Karen McEnany-Phillips

Welcome to
Stetson’s Corner, where weekly we hope to share a bit of what is good
about the Village of Geneva.This
column is dedicated to a man who did the same – Deputy Sheriff Gene
“Stetson” Gregory, who was killed in the line of duty July 8, 1998 in
the place he was sworn to protect, but which could not protect him.Geneva will never be the same because of Deputy Gregory…it will be
better.

“This group has certainly been dedicated to preserving and
been persistent in their efforts to watch over the neighborhoods that they
have. Unfortunately, probably too much of Seminole County has already been
taken out of the rural area, but hopefully we will continue to preserve a
portion of that element for future citizens to be able to enjoy.It will take diligence and perseverance to maintain those things that
we value.”

Carlton D. Henley
- Seminole County BCC Chairman 8/28/2007

It began quietly as many grassroots movements do, a small
mission that achieved its first milestone on Tuesday August 28th,
2007. After many months of research, negotiation, and revisions Geneva
leaders convinced Seminole County to pass a three point Resolution
recognizing the village of Geneva as “an integral part of the rich, rural
and agricultural history as well as the culture of the County with past,
present, and future significance.” The Board of County Commissioners
recognized the community efforts to “maintain a living rural heritage,
while respecting private property rights.” The third point stated that the
County “applauds the community efforts to be recognized as a Rural
Heritage Area with state and national historic preservation agencies.”

Geneva Citizens Association President Richard Creedon and
Vice-President Chris Stapleton thanked the Board and with Geneva Historical
and Genealogical Society President Cynthia Simonton and past President Mary
Jo Martin joined District 5 Commissioner Brenda Carey in the Seminole County
Commission chambers as she read the Resolution Tuesday morning.

It’s like winning the Miss America title-the first few hours you
are bathed in bliss at the honor and thinking about how all your hard work
paid off. And then you think, now what? What’s next? So we should do the
same as individuals and as a community. What does it mean to be a Rural
Heritage Area and how do we use that to enrich our community and our sense
of place? I encourage you to noodle around on the internet to see what other
communities are doing.

A good place to start is nationaltrust.org. (you don’t have to type
the www anymore!) Don’t be put off by the membership information on this
site. They do depend on financial support but as you’ll quickly see there
is a lot of fascinating information about rural communities just like
Geneva. Click on Community or Advocacy and then on the Rural Heritage link
and read about the projects, pilot programs, and initiatives in rural areas
such as the “Community and Countryside Workshops” designed to assist
rural communities in preserving rural character, revitalizing communities,
and discussing land use and design. The “Barn Again” program is used to
help farmers and agricultural groups preserve old barns by integrating them
into modern agriculture production.

Read about the eleven most threatened historic sites and the twenty most
threatened rural sites in the country-one is Hialeah Racetrack here in
Florida. Many are from the Civil and Pre-Revolutionary War periods—it
gives you perspective that if obviously historic locations are threatened,
what about Geneva that is less well-known? Example: the Upper Piedmont of
Virginia where George Washington farmed and Stonewall Jackson made his
famous stand, was/is at risk from several huge development projects
including: a Formula One racecourse, a 21,000 seat amphitheatre, a major
thoroughbred racetrack, and here’s my favorite, The Disney Project-a new
city with a 405-acre theme park at its center-$650 million dollars. Disney
has apparently abandoned the project due to negative publicity for its
image.

The Journey
Through Hallowed Ground Partnership a non-profit public/private group
is committed to preserving the 175 mile stretch from Gettysburg, PA to
Monticello, VA which one historian noted "has soaked up more
of the blood, sweat, and tears of American history than any other part of
the country."The significance of this
area is too immense to detail here but suffice it to say that in addition to
being threatened by subdivisions (popping up in cornfields) from nearby
Washington DC suburbs, newly widened highways, the Partnership was finally
successful in narrowly defeating The Gettysburg Casino project. We chuckle
and roll our eyes at that, yet think about Biloxi, Mississippi and Cherokee
North Carolina-it has happened. The casinos certainly are employing people
in a huge way on the Gulf Coast, an area that needs economic salvation.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and precious land is in the crosshairs
as communities try to balance historic preservation and economic
development.

And so we are so fortunate to have leaders in our midst who have the
vision to protect and preserve our Island of Geneva with an eye on the
future and a hand on the mouse, integrating 21st century
technology that will make our story accessible for generations to come.
Geneva Citizens Association Vice President Chris Stapleton is leading the
way in this effort and his words to the County Commissioners were moving:
“I want to thank you for recognizing to celebrate the rural
heritage -it’s rich, it’s living, and it’s ongoing. With your support
with this recognition we can go on and help make “Geneva Island” the
rich, educational asset for Seminole County, for future generations to
respect, to understand, and to celebrate the rich and diverse cultural
heritage that has gone on for over 100 years.”

We need you to tell us what you know that is good about Geneva!Please share your information, ideas and comments by calling
407-221-7002, via e-mail at karenmphillips@bellsouth.net, (please put
“Stetson’s Corner” in the subject line), or with a fax to
407-349-2800.Thanks!